Finding My Heart
by WitchingMoon
Summary: Kikyo has shattered Kagome's hopes of having a relationship with InuYasha by making him confess unknowingly in front of her his love for the dead miko. What lengths will the miko from the future go to make sure she can have a happy life even if that means InuYasha will not be a part of it? Kikyo fans be warned… probably not a fic for you. X3
1. Chapter 1

Finding My Heart

By: WitchingMoon

Rated: M for mature content, adult situations, violence and cursing

Summary: Kikyo has shattered Kagome's hopes of having a relationship with InuYasha by making him confess unknowingly in front of her his love for the dead miko. What lengths will the miko from the future go to make sure she can have a happy life even if that means InuYasha will not be a part of it? Kikyo fans be warned… probably not a fic for you. X3

AN: Hello and thank you for giving my fic a chance. I have never actually published my work online for the masses before so this is kind of new for me. LoL I was watching the series with my beta and turned to him during one episode where Kikyo is a total wench saying "that it would be a good start for a fan fic". He told me to get to work. *grins* So, here it is and I hope you enjoy. PLEASE give me feedback through reviews. I find that my muse functions purely through their power. 3 Enjoy!

Ps: Thank you and much love to my awesome beta, CyanideTerror. 3 I was listening to Apocalyptica – I don't care when I wrote this.

Chapter one: Shattered Illusions

Brown eyes brimming with unshed tears, Kagome stared brokenly as Kikyo and InuYasha embraced only eight feet in front of her. The dead miko had placed a spell on her and she was bound by soul collectors to a small tree where she had stumbled upon the waiting clay woman. No matter how loud she yelled, only Kikyo could hear her and struggling against the demons had so far proven useless.

"InuYasha… I'm right here!" Kagome yelled, trying once again to gain his attention. After no response, she switched tactics. "Kikyo, I know you can hear me. Let me go!"

The only reply she received was a sideways glance under the dead miko's eyelashes and a hate filled smirk. Kikyo tightened her hold on the hanyou and asked the loaded question that was sure to shatter her reincarnations soul. "InuYasha, do you love me?"

Returning the tight squeeze with one of his own, InuYasha nuzzled his face into his love's long black hair. "Of course, Kikyo, I always have and always will."

Kagome's heart froze in her chest. She couldn't breathe and her vision was blurred by a constant flow of tears while she mentally chastised herself. 'He never had room in his heart to love me. Kikyo had always been and always would be the one residing there and there was nothing I could have done. I… I was such a fool. If only I had been able to keep my heart locked away maybe I could have saved myself from this pain. InuYasha… I love you. You wouldn't have had to change to be with me. I love you just the way you are. The strong but secretly kind hanyou that stole my heart when I least expected it.'

A wail of despair was quickly followed by a lavender glow around the bound miko as she watched Kikyo kiss InuYasha and start a gateway that would pull the two of them into Hell. He was going to leave them all, not only Kagome, but the rest of the Inutachi as well. Shippo… Sango… Miroku… Kirara… He was going to leave them all without even saying good-bye. The heartache she could take since it was her own fault but this was beyond unfair. "No! InuYasha!"

Kikyo had won and there was no longer any reason for her to linger. Becoming frustrated with her reincarnations screaming, she shoved InuYasha away from her and allowed her soul collectors to carry her away. Somewhat put out, the hanyou turned to leave until he heard a sniffle behind him. Looking back, Kagome slowly appeared leaning against the tree for support after the soul collectors had abandoned her to carry off the dead miko.

He took one look at her dull eyes and tear stained face and knew something terrible was about to happen. "Kagome, I-"

"InuYasha… I saw it all. I don't need you to explain." The young miko pushed away from the tree and carefully made her way towards the hanyou. She stopped only inches before him and chocolate brown eyes filled with tears met and held his golden gaze. "I don't want to hear your excuses or any lies. You meant every word you said to her and I will not stand here and force you to feel things for me that will never be true." Before InuYasha could react, Kagome grabbed the subjugation necklace around his neck and gave a vicious tug, the spell shattering much like her heart in her hand. The beads and fangs fell like so many tears to be lost in the grass at their feet. "You are free of me… And I of you. Good-bye, InuYasha."

Turning on her heel, the young miko walked away from her love and left him standing there, wondering how it had come to this. InuYasha wanted to follow her but know that Kagome would only become more upset. She would come back. He figured she would head home to her own time and they would hear from her in a few days. That is always what happened when they had a fight. InuYasha had no idea how wrong he was.

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Kagome had nothing with her. No bow, arrows, camping supplies or backpack full of luxuries from the future. She didn't want to go back for them either so she kept walking through the dark forest, ignoring the tears that still made tracks down her cheeks. She just kept moving, not really paying attention to how far or how long she had gone. It didn't matter as long as she kept moving.

The sky was starting to lighten when she came across a wide, gently running river and she stopped for a bit for a drink and to rest her feet. Her mind wasn't registering much pain as it tried to keep her numb inside and out to save her sanity so at least she had that working in her favor.

Watching a bit of drift wood go by at a steady pace got her mind working. 'Water… InuYasha always loses scents of enemies when they follow water.' She knew the Inutachi would try to find her once they figured out she hadn't gone home. She didn't want to see the pity in her mother's eyes. Kagome just wanted to be left alone. No pressure from family, school or friends. She knew she was hanging on by a thread and she would NOT give Kikyo the satisfaction of killing her.

Making up her mind, Kagome pulled her shoes and socks off and used the scarf from her school uniform to bundle them together and tied them across her back. Taking a bracing breath, the young miko dived into the river and began the long swim downstream.

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

"WHAT!?" The other three human/humanoid members of the Inutachi all yelled at once causing InuYasha's dog ears to flatten against his head. Damn, they knew how to make his ears ring.

"How could you?" Sango was trying desperately to get to the hanyou to rip him into tiny pieces with her bare hands but was being held back by the lecherous monk. "Let me go, houshi!"

He struggled to keep her back but that didn't stop him from laying into the dog himself. "That was very insensitive and reckless, InuYasha! Letting Kagome wander off after witnessing that... Who knows what kind of mental state she's in or where she could end up? Have you gone through the well to make sure she made it home?" Miroku asked and then grunted when the taijiya in his arms landed a powerful blow with her elbow to his ribs.

InuYasha had the decency to look guilty and rub behind one of his ears nervously. "Well, no… Not yet. I figured I would giver her a few days to calm down and think things through before-"

The hanyou was cut off by Shippo's tearful wail. "Why did you have to be so mean? I want my mommy!" The little kitsune threw himself down on the sleeping bag he and Kagome shared every night no longer able to hold in the tears and sobs for his adoptive mother. Even Kirara growled and hissed at the hanyou before cuddling up against the kit in an attempt to comfort him.

"This is all that dead sluts fault. Why couldn't you see that Kagome loves you?" The taijiya yells, causing InuYasha to first becoming angry for the slander of Kikyo and then flinch from the truth of Kagome's feelings. Sango is no fool and her eyes narrow dangerously on the dog as she stops struggling against the monk. "You knew… You knew she loved you and you still snuck off to see Kikyo time and again, you bastard!" Miroku could not hold back Sango's rage as she burst free from his grasp and landed a solid right hook on the hanyou's jaw. She watched with little satisfaction that his head actually did snap to the left and he stumbled back from the shock and impact. "Next time Kikyo tries to toss you in Hell, let her. You deserve it. You may not care about Kagome but I do. I'm going to go look for signs that my sister made it home safe." Grabbing her hiraikotsu, Sango ran from the camp and started scouting for tracks in hopes that Kagome was alright.

InuYasha was too furious to meet Miroku's eyes. The monk just crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. "Is there no way of convincing you to go to the well now?"

"Keh" The hanyou turned and jumped into the nearest tree and closed his tired eyes. After the emotional roller coaster he had been on since seeing Kikyo last night he felt the need for a rest though none came for him.

~*)O(* ~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

After alternating between swimming and drifting downstream for most of the day, Kagome sluggishly pulled herself from the cold water. Her teeth were chattering noisily against each other and her whole body was numb from cold. She flopped down onto her back on the stone bank and couldn't find the will to move just yet.

The massive rock under her slowly warmed her with the heat it had collected from the sun through the day. Kagome sighed and looked up at the fading light in the sky. It was going to be dark soon. Looking from right to left, she tried to see if anything around her looked familiar from her travels but she was drawing a blank which didn't bother her in the least.

The lump of her shoes under her was starting to bother her so Kagome rolled to her side and pushed herself into a sitting position. Though she had put a lot of distance between them, Kagome was reluctant to stop for fear that InuYasha would somehow find her. Tossing that thought aside, the little miko forced herself to her feet and start looking for somewhere safe to stay for the night.

Will power alone kept her on her feet and moving toward a sakura tree. The branches were heavily weighted down with blossoms causing the branches to bend and brush the forest floor. If her guess was right, there would be a nice hiding spot under it. The heady fragrance of the open blooms would help mask her scent.

Pushing her way through the thick curtain of pink flowers, Kagome was able to rest against the base of the tree and close her eyes to slip into oblivion.

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Coming up in Chapter Two: Broken foundations

"Kagome… Please, let me prove my love to you. I swear I will never leave your side."

AN: And that is it for chapter one. Wonder who is speaking in that little teaser… *smiles* Guess you'll have to come back for chapter two to find out. I very much hope you enjoyed it and I would LOVE FEEDBACK! The review button is right there. You know you want to click it. 3

~WitchingMoon


	2. Chapter 2

AN: And I'm back with chapter two! There is going to be a lot of bouncing around in this chapter because I want to confuse the hell out of you. LoL No, I wanted to add the other possible love interests (that we know of) at the same time. Also, big shout out to my followers, faves and reviewers! I seriously did a happy dance when I checked my email. Much love. 3 Oh, and just to clarify from one of my reviews: Yes, InuYasha is being a self-centered, self-serving jerk just like he is through most of the series. He had no problems dropping Kagome whenever Kikyo came within miles of their group. He will redeem himself later in the story like he does in the series. Sorry if you don't like that fact. Inspirational music: Apocalyptica - Not strong enough.

Chapter Two: Broken foundations

It was still hours before daylight and Kagome was struggling to keep her teeth from chattering too loud and calling attention to herself. The lack of heat had caused her to wake after sleeping briefly in her soaked clothing which had done her little good seeing as how her uniform had never dried out and the damp cloth still clung to her clammy skin. She curled into herself on the forest floor under the tree in hopes of drifting back off to sleep for another hour or so but her mind was too awake to leave her in peace.

Images of InuYasha and Kikyo flashed behind her closed eyes and constantly barraged her heart with pain. Silent tears made tracks down her face.

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Sango stood at the base of the tree InuYasha had refused to leave since their fight two days before. She was sorely tempted to chop the damn thing down with him in it while in her current mood. "I followed her tracks to the river and lost her trail. Kagome was going the opposite direction of the well so she isn't in her time but I guess you don't really care."

That got the hanyou's attention and he slid from the tree to stand before her. "What's that supposed to mean? Of course I-"

Sango fairly growled at him from between her teeth as her hands shot out and gripped his firerat haori , yanking his face down to hers so he could see the anger in her gaze. "Don't you dare. You say one more damn word and I swear to any Kami listening I will cut you down here and now. You will go and find her. If you don't bring her back alive I'll be sure you end up in a grave with your clay bitch. Do you understand me, InuYasha?"

Feeling a chill race down his spine, InuYasha said nothing and nodded. He had never seen Sango like this, not even when facing Naraku and a possessed Kohaku, and he could see his death in her eyes. She meant every word she said and it had him dashing back into the forest the instant Sango released his clothing.

The trees around him were a blur until he reached the small clearing where he had met with Kikyou. He started at the tree that held Kagome's fading scent and followed it. Like Sango had said, it led him to a river heading west away from the well. He searched both sides of the bank for any signs of Kagome, hoping he would pick up her scent again.

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Kouga, the wolf prince of the east, knelt down in the grass and held up the small bracelet of colorful stones in offering. "Kagome… Please, let me prove my love to you. I swear I will never leave your side." He shot to his feet in irritation and paced for a moment before resuming his previous position. "Kagome, I love you. I knew when I kidnapped you- Gah! Yeah, bring up that fact again and she will just throw herself at you. Stupid stupid STUPID!" He berated himself as he continued pacing as Genta and Hakaku finally caught up to him.

The brothers sighed and gratefully took a seat in the cool grass and watched their leader pace. "You finally going to try to convince Kagome to mate you the human way?" Ginta asked with a smile on his face.

"Yeah but I don't know what to say. She's refused so many times and I would just brush it off but…" Kouga looked into the distance where he could see the smoke from the Inutachi's camp. "I never show it but her refusals do hurt. I've never felt this way about anyone. She might never believe me but she's the one for me. The only one. I love her."

Ginta and Hakaku glanced at each other before grinning at their leader. "Why don't you tell her that then?"

Straightening his spine, Kouga smiled at his companions and raced to the camp with determination in every step. He knew the instant he entered the camp that something was off. He could catch Kagome's scent faintly from her belongings but the girl herself hadn't been here recently. The monk and demon-slayer sat at the fire while the neko and kit slept in a strange looking bedroll. "Hey, where are Kagome and MuttFace?"

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

It didn't make any sense and InuYasha grit his teeth in frustration. He had searched every inch of the river bank for miles and hadn't found a single clue as to where Kagome had gone. "Kagome…" Her name was heavy on his tongue and soft as a whisper. He found himself full of regret and it had settled like a stone on his chest.

A soft whistle-like noise had him looking up. One of Kikyo's soul collectors was flying over and heading east toward the small clearing where this had all started. InuYasha sighed and began following it. He tried telling himself that Kikyo might help him find Kagome but he knew better.

His musings were cut off with a solid punch to his face that he didn't see coming. InuYasha shook his head and shot back to his feet to glare at the wolf demon before him. "Kouga, what the-"

"Damn you!" Kouga didn't give him a chance to finish by punching him yet again accompanied by a fierce kick to the ribs sending InuYasha into the nearest tree. "Even now you're running off to be with the dead miko rather than finding Kagome. You don't deserve her love." Kouga growled and dodged the arrow that would have hit him in the back. It lodged in the tree right next to InuYasha's head, missing the hanyou by centimeters.

Kikyo stepped out of the shadows with another arrow already notched and aimed at Kouga's chest. "InuYasha, are you alright?"

"Yeah." InuYasha got to his feet and rubbed his jaw to soothe the ache.

Kouga glared at the two with disgust. "If I were you, Mutt, I wouldn't bother going back to your camp. The tajiya has your death on her mind if you return without Kagome and I don't think she will accept the dead miko in her place. I'm going to find Kagome and when I do be smart and stay away." The wolf prince dashed off to find the woman who held his heart.

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

The world was on fire and the heat scorched her skin. Her eyes were dry and ached. Her body felt weighted and bruised. Kagome tried to remember what had happened but the burning was making every thought race through her mind before it could be completed. She forced her eyes open and she caught sight of a pink cloud above her. Her hazy mind and blurred vision slowly made her remember that she lay under a blooming sakura tree.

Her eyes closed in exhaustion and opened what she thought was a moment later only to see a white blur above her accompanied by the feeling of weightlessness. She tried to focus and managed to see an angelic face but failed to register who was holding her. Smiling, Kagome ran her index finger from her left hand along the colored stripes along her angel's right cheek. "Beautiful…" Her world went black.

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Miroku stared into the fire in front of him but his mind was on the woman beside him. Everything about the last three days had bothered him but nothing more so than her. "Sango… I'm upset over Kagome as well but I've never seen you act like this. I'm worried about you."

Letting her head droop a bit so her bangs would hide her pain-filled eyes, Sango let herself lean into him just enough for their shoulders to touch. "She's our foundation, houshi. Without her the group will disband and I will be left with nothing. I don't have a home to return to. You are all my family now and I don't want to lose you."

Sighing, Miroku wrapped his arm around her shoulders trying to comfort her as best he could. "Kouga is looking for her. Ginta and Hakaku took one of her shirts back to what's left of their tribe so the others can search for her as well. They will find her and everything will be fine." He paused for a moment before looking down at the taijiya. "You wont lose me, Sango. Even if the group disbands, I'll always be with you."

Sango smiled and looked up at him with tear glossed eyes, refusing to cry, and nodded. The tender moment was broken with a harsh slap. "HENTAI!"

~*)O(* ~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Next time in Chapter Three: Pieces of me

"All broken things can be mended, miko. It just takes time and patience."

AN: LoL He just couldn't help himself. Sango will be less ooc now. Promise. I'm sure a lot of you have guessed where Kagome is going to be but you'll have to come back for chapter three to be sure. Muwhahaha. 3 Please review and tell me what you think. I love the feedback and ideas where you think/want the story to go. At this point I'm undecided as to how this is going to end. *Hint-hint-wink-wink*

~WitchingMoon


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: (since I keep forgetting to put this in there) I do not own InuYasha or any of the original characters. (I wish! LoL) They are owned by the author Rumiko Takahashi, japanese publishing company Shogakukan and english publishing company Viz Media. I just like to borrow and play with them. Muwhahaha! I do own my oc's though. *nods* I luffles them.

AN: Yay, we get to see where Kagome is. *grins* There is WAY less bouncing around this chapter and it's a tad bit longer than the last one too. The demons who speak while in their base forms will be in "**bold**". Shout out to my reviewers of chapter two: kristina. .3 and YoruichiXSoiFon1! You both rock and this is for you. Read, review and enjoy! 3

Inspirational music: Apocalyptical – Broken Pieces (I luffles flyleaf too! 3 *nods*)

Chapter Three: Pieces of me

She was burning and freezing at the same time, her insides molten and her skin prickled like she was covered with melting ice. Kagome tried to move thinking in her addled state that she could get away from the sensation. She whimpered when it persisted and cried out when something suddenly gripped her. Kagome mindlessly lashed out with her reiki and heard a feminine scream before she felt something else gently wrap around her and suppress her dangerous aura. The pulsing presence was warm and had a calming effect letting her slip back into complete darkness.

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Scarlet eyes slowly turned gold and roved over the sick ningen in his arms as Sesshomaru sat on the large futon. He only looked away from the miko for a moment to assess his healer's state. "Iyasu?"

The female demon had seated herself in the far corner and was tending to her left arm. She looked up at her lord with tear brimmed eyes but nodded. "I'll be fine, my lord. She gave me quite a burn but it will mend." She looked down at her arm that was a fiery red from finger tips to her mid forearm. "Powerful little thing, isn't she? Did she burn you as well when you picked her up, Sesshomaru-sama?"

The lord of the west only shook his head once in denial before closing his eyes and relaxing as much as possible against the pillows and wall behind him, laying the miko against his armorless chest. He waited until he heard the shoji open and close before opening his eyes again. The miko's black silken hair had fallen forward on her sweat dampened face and Sesshomaru gently moved it back behind her ear with a clawed finger as his molten gaze once again roved over her features.

He found himself wondering how the hanyou had let her wander so far off and come to this state. Wasn't she supposed to be his intended? Not a wise choice… On her part. The miko deserved better in his mind but he would never admit to that to anyone. Well, that may be a good insult the next time he fought the half-breed. Nothing seemed to rile the careless mutt more than the woman in his arms.

"InuYasha… Sit…" Sesshomaru's lips quirked on one side in a small smirk as it seemed the miko agreed with his thoughts unknowingly. He quickly went back to his emotionless mask hearing a quiet knock. He already knew it was Rin and her personal guard outside and he let his youkai flair for a moment as signal to enter.

The young girl tiptoed in, her side ponytail bouncing with every step, and smiled down at her lord and the sleeping woman. "Will she live?" Rin's voice was barely a whisper, knowing her lord could hear her without disrupting the miko's sleep.

"Hn."

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Kouga skid to a stop a few miles down the river from where they had lost her scent. InuYasha's scent had faded a mile or so back and still he hadn't found anything. He was caught between frustration and panic but refused to give in to either feeling and instead sent out a pulse of his youkai to signal his demon wolves to his side.

Two wolves burst free of the forest and came to a stop at his side in their humanoid forms. The female crossed her arms over her chest and looked at her alpha with sad brown eyes. She could tell he was hurting and wished she had better news. "No sign of her yet, Kouga."

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Kouga turned to the riverbank and tried to suppress his angered beast. He had been howling for release since he had found out Kagome was missing. Keeping himself contained was imperative. The last thing Kagome would want is for him to go on a rampage and end up hurting someone in his search for her. He knew that and struggled for control.

"We're going to follow the river west a bit more and we'll call if we find anything." The male spoke and nudged his mate to follow him when they didn't get any orders from Kouga. They shifted once more and ran west along the river.

The female cast a glance at her mate, never losing pace before asking, **"If it were me, would you ever stop looking, Haiiro?**"

The question made the gray eyed wolf stumble and almost fall but he caught his stride with a growl. "**Never, Chairo. I would tear this world and the next apart looking for you and wouldn't stop until you were once again at my side.**"

The tender words had Chairo brushing against her mate in affection before picking up the pace. She wanted the love she shared with her mate for her big brother and if this human was what he wanted then he would have her.

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Blanketed in warmth and light, Kagome stirred and slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a curtain of silver hair that the sunlight had peeked through. Her chest tightened, thinking InuYasha had found her and then the curtain parted more as the man it was attached to lifted his head from its resting place on tops of hers. Chocolate brown eyes collided with gold and Kagome stiffened in fear. This was definitely NOT InuYasha. "Sesshomaru-sama…?"

The lord of the west raised a brow in silent question while Kagome continued to stare at the male she just now realized she was sprawled on. Somehow even with bone-numbing fear coursing through her body, she was able to quickly throw herself from the futon and land on the floor in a heap of tangled limbs and sleeping yukata.

"It would seem your illness has passed." Sesshomaru stated in a bored tone as he stood and walked around the onna to sit at the small table a few feet away where a meal waited for them. The servants had delivered it only a few minutes ago. "This Sesshomaru would not harm you while ill and defenseless, miko. There is no honor to be had in that. Sit and eat."

Kagome righted herself, making sure the sleeping yukata was closed properly after her fall and did as she was told, taking a seat across the table from him. She took in her surroundings, marveling at the beautiful room and lush furnishings. The blue futon she had been resting on was piled high with silk pillows of various shapes and sizes in different shades of blue. All the shoji were panted with magnificent dog demons in breathtaking landscapes but always had a crescent moon overhead. She was able to put two and two together rather fast once her memory caught up with her. "If this room is any indication, your palace is lovely, Sesshomaru-sama. Thank you for saving me. How long have I been here?"

The dai merely nodded in acceptance of her thanks before answering, "Four days."

Gasping and dropping the blueberry she had almost placed in her mouth, Kagome shot to her feet and looked around for her clothes. "He'll come looking for me and eventually blow down your doors. I need to-"

"Sit." Sesshomaru didn't raise his voice but the youkai that flared to suppress her panic had her sitting once again across from him with her hands bunched together in her lap. Seeing the color leave her face and her white knuckles of her clasped hands had the daiyoukai's eyes narrowing. "This Sesshomaru would know what the half-breed has done to make you act thus."

Bowing her head, Kagome briefly relived the encounter in that small clearing in the forest. "InuYasha chose Kikyo. I guess I always knew that he would but… It didn't stop me from loving him. I didn't expect a broken heart would hurt so much so I ran away. I just don't know what I could have done different to make this right."

"From what this Sesshomaru has witnessed, the half-breed never told you to invest your feelings in another. That was dishonorable as he had already invested his in the dead miko. The fault does not land on your shoulders for his shortcomings. His human mentality can not function properly with demon emotions. Even if you had never met him, he would have turned to another ningen." This was the most Sesshomaru had every spoken to her and seeing how he was willing to speak, Kagome wanted answers.

"What do you mean 'human mentality' and 'demon emotions'?" In Kagome's mind after spending time with Sesshomaru, 'demon' and 'emotions' didn't ever belong in the same sentence. A teaspoon more feelings than he did.

"Ningen are not monogamous beings. They procreate with several partners and typically in the same time frame to increase their numbers rapidly. Demons, however, are very monogamous and would see it as an insult worthy of dueling to the death should another try to court their mate. The bond between mates is as powerful and frightening as it is beautiful and desired. These bonds are only broken through death. Demons can and often do look for another mate after the other has died but some choose instead to join them in the afterlife rather than continuing on without them." Sesshomaru paused for a moment before continuing. "InuYasha is of both worlds and is conflicted because of it. He craves a mate and has found that in the dead miko but his human half lets him look to others as well. As this Sesshomaru stated before, if it had not been you it would have been another ningen."

Struggling to swallow the lump that was suddenly in her throat, Kagome managed to clear it to reply as she blinked back tears. "So, I was just… Guess that means I'll just have to pick up the broken pieces and keep moving. Thank you for your honesty, Sesshomaru-sama. Thank you again for your hospitality and I'll leave as soon as I have my things."

She bowed her head as Sesshomaru stood and made to leave her room. He stopped in the open shoji but glanced at her over his shoulder, his golden gaze once again taking her in. "All broken things can be mended, miko. It just takes time and patience."

~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~ ~*)O(*~

Chairo's paws slid in the pebbles under her as she came to a sudden halt forcing her mate to jump over her still body or smash into her. He turned and growled, "**A little warning next time, my love. I could have-**"

"**She's been here, Haiiro!**" She followed the scent away from the riverbank and towards a sakura tree where her scent was somewhat lost to the blooms and the time that had passed. She growled when she caught the fading scent of male dog, knowing exactly where the little miko had ended up. This was going to complicate things. She threw her head back and howled long and hard.

Next time in Chapter Four: Bring me to my knees

"I never meant for it to come to this. Please… Let me love you."

AN: *does happy dance* I was so inspired after all the faves, follows and reviews that I couldn't seem to stop writing after putting up the second chapter. This chapter turned out better than I expected and I hope you guys liked it. I tried so hard to keep Sesshy in character but I think he kind of went marshmallow on me again. LoL Please please PLEASE review and let me know what you think. The next chapter is going to be quite the surprising showdown but I still don't know how this is all going to end! I have one vote for Kouga and one vote for a threesome. LoL Let me know your opinion! 3

~WitchingMoon

Pronunciations:

Chairo: Chuh-ee-row

Haiiro: High-ee-row

(Had to tell Cyanide that so I figured I would post it just in case. 3 He thought it was Chair-oh. LoL)


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